It takes my mind more than eyes to see through

[sovay]

Rabbit, rabbit! I spent too much of my ride home squashed between two strangers' backpacks on an egregiously sardine can train (for which at least I did not have to pay $17 like the afternoon's taxi, Charlie), but I made it home finally and spatch made scrambled eggs for dinner and we cooked some mala sausages on the side that turned out to be hell night in a pork casing, i.e., delicious. Today's mail is a cornucopia:

1. My contributor's copy of Machinations and Mesmerism: Tales Inspired by E.T.A. Hoffmann, edited by Farah Rose Smith. I have been waiting for this anthology since the first of the year and it does not disappoint. Contributors to its catalogue of Hoffmanniana include but are not limited to Michael Cisco, Jayaprakash Satyamurthy, L.C. von Hessen, K.H. Vaughan, Michelle F. Goddard, and Michael Uhall, each with their own interpretation of the title influence: sometimes automata, sometimes doctors, sometimes dreams, sometimes music, sometimes nothing more than the slippage of the everyday. It was one of the last books released by Sam Gafford of Ulthar Press, a situation that leaves some financial weirdness and a lot of grief; I am honored to have been part of his tradition. It gave a home to my story "Where the Sky Is Silver and the Earth Is Brass," written over Hanukkah for selkie and featuring mirrors, demons, Jewish queerness, and partizanerlider. Please check it out.

2. Stan Hugill's Shanties from the Seven Seas (1961). Of all places, J. Peterman was selling copies at a discount that made the shipping cost total less than the cover price and now I own it. Rob opened it and found three different variants of "Paddy Doyle's Boots" and was happy.

3. Rumer Godden's Black Narcissus (1939). I had been looking fruitlessly for a copy of my own in local used book stores ever since seeing the 1947 Powell and Pressburger film a dozen years ago; I mentioned this fact to yhlee and he made a paperback happen. Thank you! I never read any of Godden's adult novels growing up, only her doll stories. I may have to rewatch the film.

4. A UPS slip for something I had to sign for before they'd leave it at the door, which they haven't yet. I have no idea.

P.S. kore has alerted me to the existence of the draft script for The Calico Pony/Count Three and Pray, Van Heflin's personal copy. I am delighted to know that this object exists and frankly a little surprised it's not in an archive somewhere, where I couldn't even think about not being able to afford it. Why don't bricks of money fall out of my sky?

August so far is doing much better than July.

Comments

[moon_custafer]

I never read any of Godden's adult novels growing up, only her doll stories.

(boggles)
(checks Wikipedia)

The Doll’s House? Candy Floss? Miss Happiness and Miss Flower?

I loved those books as a seven-year-old. I desperately wanted a Dutch doll. In 1982 Toronto. Someone in my family actually located a wooden doll at a craft sale at the local Y which was close enough. I named her Gerda and loved her until she got lost on a trip to Vancouver two years later.

[sovay]

The Doll’s House? Candy Floss? Miss Happiness and Miss Flower?

That's them! I am not actually sure if The Doll's House taught me that celluloid was flammable or just guaranteed (before I cared about film) that I would never forget it, but here we are.

Someone in my family actually located a wooden doll at a craft sale at the local Y which was close enough. I named her Gerda and loved her until she got lost on a trip to Vancouver two years later.

I'm sorry! I'm glad you had her in your life.

Do you have any dolls now?

[moon_custafer]

I have a few dolls of recent vintage — mostly mini (4”) versions of the Bratz and Pullip dolls. Also a few action figures, though nowhere near as many as Andrew.

[gwynnega]

Congratulations on your new publication! The book sounds wonderful.

I'd forgotten all about The Doll's House. I loved it so much.

[selkie]

THE CUTEST HORROR STORY EV. ERRRR.

(This is v nice and sort of makes up for the fact that I am poking at what counts in my world as Big Action Set Pieces.)
(When I was lamenting, my spouse may or may not have described my works as 'pick a little, talk a little.)

[sovay]

THE CUTEST HORROR STORY EV. ERRRR.

I am extremely glad it's out in the world.

(This is v nice and sort of makes up for the fact that I am poking at what counts in my world as Big Action Set Pieces.)

Hey, your last book had a duel! And a roadblock-jumping! That's action!

(When I was lamenting, my spouse may or may not have described my works as 'pick a little, talk a little.)

HE LEFT RIVER CITY THE LIBRARY BUILDING
BUT HE LEFT ALL THE BOOKS TO HER

[sovay]

Congratulations on your new publication! The book sounds wonderful.

Thank you! I'm really happy about it.

I'd forgotten all about The Doll's House. I loved it so much.

I think my mother brought it home; I associate it with the Cambridge Public Library rather than the little branch library in Arlington Heights which is now public access TV or a Verizon store or something. I can't remember reading it after elementary school, or any of her other children's books. I don't know why I didn't move on to her other novels. I don't think I took any notice of her name.

[selkie]

GRAHGHK.

Neither of you -- neither of you is helpful.

I'm moving to Laconia.

Edit, laconically: I HOPE ALSO YOU GET PAID.

[choco_frosh]

4. A UPS slip for something I had to sign for before they'd leave it at the door, which they haven't yet. I have no idea.

I would be very suspicious of this, though this is probably because two years in a mailroom have given me a permanent distrust of UPS drivers. If you have a tracking number for whatever it is, I would suggest using it to try to track down wtf the thing in question is, so that if it doesn't show up, like, tomorrow, you can call UPS.

ETA: Why don't bricks of money fall out of my sky?

Seriously!

[choco_frosh]

...Lake Winnepesaukee or Lakedaimon?

[selkie]

The one that never actually existed in the classical world but it's sunny and there are nearby beaches and The Music Man is thousands of years of torment into the future.

[sovay]

If you have a tracking number for whatever it is, I would suggest using it to try to track down wtf the thing in question is, so that if it doesn't show up, like, tomorrow, you can call UPS.

Fortunately, I spotted the UPS truck pulling up and went downstairs and the driver just handed me two flats of prescription cat food, which is apparently what the slip was for. This marks the first time UPS has not felt comfortable just leaving the cat food we order from Petco on our doorstep or at the convenience store up the hill our local UPS access point and I hope it's not a permanent change.

Seriously!

I really want to read Van Heflin's notes!

[cmcmck]

I own Stan's book too and got it from his own fair hands at a folk festival many years back.

He was quite a character! :o)

[sovay]

I own Stan's book too and got it from his own fair hands at a folk festival many years back.

Nice!

He was quite a character!

I just know the sound of his voice.

[asakiyume]

I wonder if your writing about the draft script will alert someone with $$ in the film community to buy it and give it to an archive. Your film reviews have reach! (Although this entry isn't a film review, and the discussion of the book only comes up in the comments on the review, so .... but still, it would be nice.

Now you've got me interested in Black Narcissus, too . . .

[sovay]

(Although this entry isn't a film review, and the discussion of the book only comes up in the comments on the review, so .... but still, it would be nice.

I can try to mention it in the next review. It just totally blindsided me with its existence.

Now you've got me interested in Black Narcissus, too . . .

I think you would really like the novel, and I am seriously thinking about rewatching and trying to write about the film.